One of the most worrisome effects of the recent economic downturn has been the dramatic increase in the numbers of people struggling to feed themselves and their families.

Houston's Food Bank, whose more than 400 pantries provide free and low-cost food to the hungry in 18 local counties, has done a heroic job of trying to meet that challenge. It is now feeding more than 137,000 people a week, 70 percent more than in 2006.

So it was welcome news late last month to hear that the Food Bank has purchased a facility, the former Sysco Foods headquarters, that will expand its capacity fourfold, making it the nation's largest food bank. Not only will the $17 million purchase enable it to feed more people and utilize more volunteers, it will bring a variety of other services, projects and educational opportunities to the community.

But as Houston Food Bank president and CEO Brian Greene stressed to the Chronicle several months ago, the food bank and its pantries are “the bottom of the safety net,” not the major artillery in the battle against hunger.

Along with other advocates, Greene encourages those in need of food assistance to apply for federally funded food stamps, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administered in Texas by the state's Department of Health and Human Services Commission.

Unfortunately HHSC has performed poorly over the years, with massive backlogs, long waiting periods, a blizzard of errors and inappropriate denials — to the point where it was put on notice to improve drastically or risk losing funding.

But the good news is that HHSC is cleaning up its act: Celia Hagert, senior policy analyst at Austin's Center for Public Priorities, often a vocal critic, told the Chronicle that, especially under the leadership of Tom Suehs, appointed its executive commissioner last September, “we're seeing progress and consistent improvement.”

More than 800 new workers have been hired, and stimulus funds have helped. There are still problems, including lack of experienced staff and a new computer system that has yet to prove itself. But the big question is, will the Legislature step up when it reconvenes next January and supply adequate funding to bring the agency up to snuff?

It should: Food stamps are a bargain. The program is 100 percent federally funded, while administrative costs are shared 50-50 with the state. Not only does it immediately and significantly benefit the recipients, it just as promptly and efficiently benefits local farmers, grocers and other businesses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that every dollar in SNAP benefits produces $1.84 in economic activity.

The Food Bank's new facilities should be up and running within a year, giving Houstonians even more opportunities to exercise their legendary generosity. But the SNAP program, as Haggert points out, is “America's first line of defense against hunger” and is where state and federal resources should be focused.

HHSC is finally starting to pull its weight administering federal funding. Come next January, our state legislators need to step up to the plate, too.